RTO to get text-savvy, to update applicants via SMS

You’ll soon be able to get details such as when your driving licence will be dispatched, chassis and engine numbers for vehicle registration, status of documents and so forth on your mobiles

Soon, you will get updates about your applications at the city’s Regional Transport Office (RTO) at your fingertips. The RTO is planning to use the short-text message service (SMS) to send you information regarding the status and other details of your requests that under process at the office.

The initiative will be launched at the Pune RTO (above), following its successful run at the Pimpri-Chinchwad office

After implementing the service at the Pimpri-Chinchwad RTO in October last year, Jitendra Patil, the new Pune regional transport officer, is now planning to implement the same at the Pune RTO. The administration will be sending SMSes to people applying for driving licence, permit renewals and want to register new or outstation vehicles.

Applicants’ mobile numbers will be saved in a database, which will be connected to a central server, and with the help of the server, the administration will send out the texts.

Speaking about the new service, Patil told MiD DAY, “After applying for, say, driving licence, the applicant will get an SMS regarding submission of documents and when the licence will be dispatched. The bar code number of Speed Post will be provided to them. Apart form that, details of registration of a new vehicle, such as chassis number and engine number, will be messaged to the vehicle owner’s mobile number. This will be a boon for citizens as regular updates will help save their time.”

On an average, more than 500 applications for learner’s driving licence are received every day. Once the applicant gives the driving test, the licence is dispatched within 10 working days.

“With the help of the technology, we will be able to channelise the work, and the time taken to dispatch the driving licence will be less. We will also be working on a software through which the applicant can send SMSes and get updates on their applications,” said Patil.

“Such a service will be helpful for us to keep track of the paperwork we have got done at RTO. I have come here to take vehicle registration papers, and getting an automatic feedback of the status through an SMS from the RTO administration is good. I can know when my work is getting done,” said Abhishekh Khole.

Another student, Kishan Patel, who had come to the RTO for his learner’s licence, said, “The SMS system exists for banking, and having it for the RTO is great. Till I get my permanent licence, it would help if I receive messages from the RTO regarding the procedure.”